MALI: Ekweremadu applauds ECOWAS, AU on constitutionalism

Speaker of the Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS Parliament, Senator Ike Ekweremadu has commended the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of States and Government and the international community for the restoration of constitutionalism in Mali.

Senator Ekweremadu in a reaction to the swearing of Speaker of the national Parliament of Mali, Dioncounda Traore as the nation’s interim President, expressed hope that ECOWAS had finally put a full stop to any form of unconstitutional takeover of government in the sub-region.

He described the swearing in which is accordance with the deal brokered by the Authority on the restoration of democracy and constitutionalism in the West African nation following the March 22 coups as victory for democracy.

“This is good news for democracy and constitutionalism, not just for Mali, but for West Africa and the African continent in general as it demonstrates for the umpteenth time the determination of the Community and its citizenry to ensure that power permamnently flows from the ballot box in the sub-region and Africa, and never again from the barrels of the gun”, the Speaker said.

Ekweremadu who lauded members of the international community for supporting the sub-regional body and the African Union to bring pressure to bear on the coup leaders in accordance with the Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, called on the interim President to mobilize all resources and goodwill to keep Mali one and ensure a peaceful transition to a popularly elected President.

“While the first part of this struggle for the protection of democracy has been won, the onus is on Hon. Dioncounda Troare, ECOWAS, AU, and indeed members of the international community to ensure a peaceful and transparent election within the stipulated timeframe and to ensure an end is put to the insurrection in Northern Mali to keep the country one” Ekweremadu reiterated.

The Speaker who is also the Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate also sent the interim President the warm goodwill of the Community Parliament and the peoples of the sub-region.